Crispy Gluten-Free Sweet and Sour Chicken

The flavor of PF Chang’s Sweet and Sour Chicken is recreated in this gluten-free copycat recipe that’s fast and simple—ready in about 29 minutes. Tender chicken, crisp bell peppers and juicy pineapple are stir-fried in a vibrant sweet-and-sour sauce for a bright, satisfying meal. Serve it over rice, tossed with noodles, or in lettuce wraps for a lighter option.

The first Chinese restaurant I ever visited was PF Chang’s, and the very first dish I ordered was Sweet and Sour Chicken. Growing up in a small town in Oklahoma, Chinese food was new to me until I moved to California. Now it’s one of my favorite cuisines, and this recipe is my gluten-free take on that classic saucy dish.

I enjoy recreating restaurant-style Chinese recipes at home because they’re often lighter and quicker to prepare than you might expect. This Sweet and Sour Chicken comes together in under 30 minutes and packs the bright, tangy-sweet flavor people love.

Other popular homemade Chinese-style recipes I make include Kung Pao Beef, General Tso’s Chicken, Healthy Turkey Lettuce Wraps, and Grilled Vegetable Lo Mein—each easy enough for weeknights and full of flavor.

How to make it

Prepare the sweet and sour sauce

1. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger, 2 crushed garlic cloves, and 1/4 cup pineapple juice.
2. Set the sauce aside. Tip: you can double this sauce and keep it refrigerated for 7–10 days, so you’ll have a ready-made sauce for another quick meal.

Batter the chicken

1. Place one whisked egg in a shallow dish.
2. In another shallow dish combine 1/2 cup cornstarch and 2 tablespoons brown sugar.
3. Coat 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into cubes) in the egg, then roll each piece lightly in the cornstarch mixture. Use one hand for the wet coating and the other for the dry to keep things tidy.
4. Set the battered chicken aside on a clean surface while you heat the pan.

Cook the vegetables and chicken

1. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the battered chicken pieces and cook 4–5 minutes, turning so all sides are lightly browned. Remove the chicken and set aside.
3. Add 1 cup diced onion and 1/2 each of a green and a red bell pepper (large dice) to the skillet; cook 3–4 minutes until slightly softened.
4. Return the chicken to the skillet and add 1/2 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned).
5. Pour the prepared sweet-and-sour sauce over the chicken and vegetables, toss to coat, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the flavors meld.
6. Serve immediately.

More Chinese chicken recipes

If you want other easy, flavorful Chinese-style chicken recipes to try, consider: Chicken Potsticker Stir Fry, 20-Minute Kung Pao Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken Fried Rice, Easy Chicken Lo Mein, and Gluten-Free Chinese Honey Chicken.

Gluten Free Sweet and Sour Chicken — Recipe Details

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1 egg, whisked
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup onion, large dice
• 1/2 green bell pepper, large dice
• 1/2 red bell pepper, large dice
• 1/2 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned)

Instructions

1. Whisk together the sugar, gluten-free soy sauce, ketchup, white wine vinegar, sweet chili sauce, honey, red pepper flakes, ginger, garlic and pineapple juice in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Place the whisked egg in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, mix cornstarch and brown sugar.
3. Coat each chicken cube first in egg, then in the cornstarch mixture. Set the battered pieces aside.
4. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown on all sides for about 4–5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
5. Add the onion and bell peppers to the skillet and cook 3–4 minutes until slightly softened.
6. Return the chicken to the pan and add the pineapple chunks. Pour the prepared sauce over everything and toss to coat.
7. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is glossy. Serve immediately over your preferred base.

Notes

Serving options: over white or brown rice, mixed with rice noodles, in lettuce wraps, or served on zucchini noodles for a lighter, vegetable-forward plate.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

• Calories: 463 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 55 g
• Protein: 28 g
• Fat: 15 g
• Saturated Fat: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 113 mg
• Sodium: 776 mg
• Potassium: 659 mg
• Fiber: 2 g
• Sugar: 35 g
• Vitamin A: 816 IU
• Vitamin C: 40 mg
• Calcium: 33 mg
• Iron: 1 mg